A Night Off From the War (& podfic)
by picascribit
Summary: 1980: The war rages on. Lily and her friends need a break, and James has always been a little curious... Group sex, pregnant sex, recreational potions use. Podfic available at AO3.


_**Note:** Please allow me to take this opportunity to remind my beloved readers that I am currently in the process of editing and podficcing my complete archive. I believe all of my stories can be better, reflecting my deepening understanding of the characters, and in some cases, fixing problematic elements and tropes which, through my own ignorance, have crept into my work over the years. _

_Once each story has been edited, I will make a podfic (mp3 audiobook version) to go with it, to increase reader accessibility. Podfics can be downloaded from my AO3 archive, which is also under the name picascribit. AO3 also allows readers to download ebook versions of stories. _

_You can see which stories have been edited and podfic'd so far by checking the story summaries here in my FFN archive. _

_Thank you for your time and kind attention. And now,_ A Night Off From the War ...

* * *

Summer had only just begun, but already it was too hot. Godric's Hollow was little better than London. All of the windows were open, in hopes of enticing a breeze into the house, and the four of them sprawled across the sofa and settee, casting lethargic Cooling charms that did not stick.

It was not only the heat getting to them. The war raged on throughout Britain, and onto the continent, with no end in sight, and they were in the thick of it. Or at least James, Remus, and Sirius were. Lily, now in the last trimester of her pregnancy, was not able to do much, apart from mixing potions and decrypting messages for the Order. Soon, the baby would come and everything would change.

They all needed a night off from their worries. That was why Lily had quietly arranged this get-together with Remus, following a very interesting post-coital discussion with her husband the previous week. Remus had promised to casually raise the subject with Sirius, to gauge his feelings about it. Lily had received his owl only the day before. _Let's do it._

Now the moment had come, and her heart was beating double-time. Catching Remus's eye across the room, she raised her eyebrows. He sat up, dislodging a wilted Sirius from his chest.

"Is it in the kitchen?" he asked.

She nodded. "The silver pitcher on the shelf in the pantry."

"I'll get it."

"Get what?" asked James as Remus left the room.

Lily kissed him on the nose. "It's a surprise."

Remus returned from the kitchen carrying a tray with four chilled and gently steaming goblets on it.

"What's this?" asked Sirius, sitting up.

"You know that thing we discussed the other night?" Remus's eyes trailed meaningfully from Sirius to James.

"What thing - _oh_!" Sirius's eyes widened. "You mean -?"

Remus nodded.

"We've talked about it, too," said Lily.

Her husband looked back and forth suspiciously between his wife and his two best friends. "What thing?"

Lily took his hand between hers. "You know the other night when we were discussing our friends, and you said you were curious about ...?" She trailed off, coppery eyebrows arched in expectation.

James stared at her. "You _told_ them? I don't believe this. Betrayed by my own wife!"

Remus cleared his throat. "We're up for it if you are, mate."

"We are?" said Sirius. "I mean, I know we talked about it, but I thought that was just, you know, bedroom talk. I didn't know Prongs was actually into it. You and Lily planned this?"

Remus gave him a lopsided smile and a shrug.

"You tricksy pixies!" he laughed. "Is it true, Prongs? D'you really want to know what a cock up the arse feels like?"

James's cheeks flushed darkly. "I was curious," he admitted. "_You_ seem to like it well enough."

"Oh, I do," Sirius grinned wickedly. "There's nothing like being well and truly fucked to make you feel properly alive. I can't believe it's taken you this long to come around to seeing things my way." "I said I was curious, not gagging for it," James scowled.

"I'd get the equipment to do it myself, but I'm the wrong shape for it at the moment," said Lily. "Besides, you lads have more experience with this sort of thing. That's why I brewed the Euphoria elixir. I thought maybe if we were relaxed and in the right frame of mind, we might give it a go."

Sirius picked up one of the goblets and sniffed it. "Should you be experimenting with potions in your condition?"

"It's safe," she assured him. "I double-checked all the ingredients. I brewed it a little strong. This dose should be enough for a very pleasant evening."

"Is it true what they say about the side effects?" Remus asked.

Lily could not hide a smile. "Why do you think I chose it?"

Sirius looked back and forth between them. "What side effects?"

"Euphoria elixir has a reputation for lowering inhibitions," Remus told him.

Sirius's eyebrows rose. "And we haven't tried it before now, why exactly?"

Remus grinned. "I'm not sure you have any inhibitions, Padfoot." He picked up a goblet. "Shall we?"

Sirius shrugged. He clinked his goblet against Remus's and tilted it back, swallowing the potion down. Remus followed suit, but James hesitated.

"You don't have to," Lily told him. "It was only an idea. No one will blame you if you don't want to, or you're not ready."

James looked troubled. "I _am_ curious. Are you sure _you_ don't mind, Lils?

"Did I seem like I minded when we talked about it the other night?"

He bit back a smile at the memory. "I think you liked the idea more than I did."

"Maybe I did," she said, grinning mischievously.

He cocked his head, looking at her. "You want this, don't you? You want to see me with them."

Lily looked across the room to where Remus and Sirius were wrapped around one another on the settee, kissing passionately. She had thought about it many times over the past few years, but she had only asked her husband what he thought as a joke, as part of their love-play. That he might actually be willing to do it ... Swallowing the nervous feeling in her belly, she nodded.

James laughed, kissing her on the forehead. "Well, if that's how it is ... Let it never be said that James Potter refused an adventure. And I wouldn't want to disappoint my lovely wife, would I? Bottoms up!"

She watched him swallow down his share of the potion, before picking up the last goblet and doing the same.

The effect was immediate. Lily sighed, relaxing into James's arms as the butterflies in her belly calmed. The tension drained from her body and a sense of well-being washed over her.

"Mmmm, this is nice," sighed her husband, kissing just below her ear. Giggling, she turned and playfully licked a drop of the potion from his lips. They spent a few pleasant minutes nuzzling at one another.

Lily glanced over to see Remus and Sirius still similarly involved. She watched them, smiling. It was good to see her friends enjoying themselves. It had been some time since she had seen them so occupied with one another. Remus caught her eye and grinned. His hand slid over Sirius's hip, settling on the bulge in his trousers.

Sirius sighed, eyes falling closed, hips rising to rub against his boyfriend's palm.

"D'you like this, Lily?" Remus asked in a low voice, dragging his lips over Sirius's exposed throat. "Seeing us together?"

Entranced, Lily nodded.

"What about you, Prongs?" Remus's hand closed around the shape of Sirius's hardness, stroking it, making Sirius moan and writhe. "You've always been curious, haven't you?"

Lily felt a similar hardness pressing against her hip as James's fingers trailed over the front of her dress.

"Watching's all right." James threw them a lazy half-smile. "The question is whether you can make it worth my while."

Sirius gazed up at Remus uncertainly. "Can we really, Moony?"

Remus gave him a searching look. The potion did not seem to be having as much of an effect on him, but potions often did not, because of his Lycanthropy. "Are you sure you want to?"

"Very," Sirius breathed, lips reaching for Remus's once more. "I want to watch you fuck him."

Lily's breath caught in her throat. She turned and kissed her husband fervently. His erection rubbed against her thigh as a hand slid up under her sundress. She spread her legs farther apart, encouraging him to explore, gasping when his thumb brushed her swollen clit.

"Mmmm, this _is_ exciting for you, isn't it?" he murmured against her lips.

"Let's go upstairs," she whispered.

The potion made them a little loopy. They stumbled and staggered, giggling and holding hands as they climbed the stairs. Lily bumped into Sirius, and kissed him, laughing, when he caught her. Her thighs slid against one another under the thin cotton of her sundress. She was already growing wet with excitement at the thought of having one of her favourite fantasies played out in front of her.

The bedroom was dark, the shades drawn to keep the heat out. They cast a few Cooling charms and set aside their wands, collapsing onto the large bed.

Lily tugged James's teeshirt off and nibbled his ear playfully, tasting the salt of sweat on his dark skin. "Go play with your friends."

Remus and Sirius were busy undressing each other, all hands and deep kisses, but they stopped when James put a hand on Sirius's bare shoulder.

"Hey," he said a little awkwardly.

Sirius immediately sat up, taking his best friend by the arms and searching his eyes. "Do you trust us, Prongs?"

"Of course I do."

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to, and we can stop any time. No hard feelings."

"I know."

"I love you, Prongs. You know that, too, right?"

James gave him a fond half-smile. "I love you, too."

Sirius leaned forwards and pressed his mouth to James's. James accepted the kiss, running a hand through the silken waves of Sirius's hair, as Sirius's hands moved down the bare skin of his chest to the button of his fly.

Lily drew off her sundress over her head and lay back, naked, against the pillows, watching as Remus knelt behind Sirius, kissing his neck and pushing his pants down over his hips. Then Sirius's hand was sliding into James's pants, and her husband was moaning into his best friend's mouth. Lily's hand moved between her thighs, fingers carding through damp curls to cup her swollen mound. One finger stroked the slipperiness of her slit.

Remus and Sirius helped James off with his trousers and pants. When everyone was naked, James hesitated, glancing back and forth between Sirius's crotch and Remus's. Sirius's cock was noticeably smaller than either of his friends'. "Umm, maybe Padfoot should ..."

Sirius laughed. "A man has to draw the line somewhere. I draw it at fucking my own brother. Don't worry; Moony knows what he's doing."

Remus laid a hand on James's waist. "Turn around and brace yourself against the headboard."

James obeyed, and Sirius positioned him, leaning forwards with his knees apart, murmuring soft words of encouragement.

"Is there Lubricating potion, Lily?" Remus asked.

She nodded, eyes wide. It was really going to happen. "I made it yesterday. There's a jar in the nightstand."

Remus retrieved the jar and coated his fingers in the slippery potion. One hand gripped James's hip, and he paused. "I'm going to touch you now, Prongs."

James nodded, head bowed, eyes squeezed shut. When Remus's fingers brushed against his anus, he gasped.

"All right?"

"Yes."

Remus's fingers moved in a small circular motion, allowing James to accustom himself to the sensation, before sliding one long finger inside.

James made a sound, and Sirius was there, arms around him, murmuring in his ear. "_Shhh_, relax Prongs. It only hurts if you tense up."

Fingers slid between Lily's folds to stroke her clit, watching, breathless, as her best friend fingered her husband's arse. After a moment, Remus added a second finger, adjusting the angle of penetration slightly, and James made a choked noise that did not sound like pain.

"You don't have to be queer to enjoy this, Prongs," Remus told him. "Lily can do it for you."

He beckoned her over, and she sat up, crawling to kneel beside him. Her fingers were already slick with her own juices, and she took Remus's place, sliding two of them inside her husband's tight passage.

"That's it," said Remus. "Now curve them towards the front. Do you feel that little bump a few inches in?"

She did. When she pressed against it experimentally, James cried out, hips pushing back against her hand.

Remus grinned. "Just like that. With a little practise, you'll be able to make him come just by doing that."

As Lily moved her fingers in and out, Sirius pressed a kiss to James's sweat-beaded brow and wrapped a hand around his cock. "I'm going to help you relax, OK?"

Panting, James nodded.

Sirius lowered himself onto the bed. Propping himself on one elbow, he bent his head and took James's cock in his mouth.

"Oh, _fuck_," James gasped.

Lily watched, mesmerised, as Sirius sucked him. A tremor ran through her loins. She was very close to coming. Her free hand moved between her legs, and she slid her fingers inside her sopping wet cunt, fucking herself with the same motion she used to fuck her husband. She whimpered. _So close -_

"Go lie down, Lils," Remus said softly, drawing her hand away from James. "See to yourself. I'll take care of him."

She did as he bid her, and lay back, legs spread, fingering herself with one hand and rubbing her clit with the other as Remus bent his head to lick her husband's hole. He teased around it, then stuck his tongue right up inside as James moaned, hips moving desperately between his friends' mouths.

"Oh, _Merlin_. I'm gonna come -" he gasped.

Immediately, both men pulled away from him.

"Not yet," murmured Sirius, getting back up on his knees to nuzzle James's throat. "Everything OK so far?"

James nodded, breathing heavily, not opening his eyes. Sweat ran down the dark skin of his back and soaked the curls around his neck and ears. "Fuck, you two are good at this."

Sirius laughed. "Only the best for my best mate."

"I think he's ready," said Remus, reaching for the lube again.

James bit his lip, but said nothing as Remus slicked himself. He moved in, wrapping an arm around James's waist as the head of his cock rubbed along the cleft of James's arse.

"We can stop right now," he murmured, nuzzling James's ear. "Tell us what you want."

"Go ahead," said James between gritted teeth.

"Not like that." Sirius brushed his lips against James's mouth. "Beg him for it. He likes that."

James took a deep, shuddering breath. Lily and Sirius held theirs. "Fuck me. Do it now. Please, god, fuck me, Moony!"

Remus made a pleased sound, low in his throat. With one hand, he guided himself to James's entrance, applying gentle pressure. "Just relax, Prongs. I'm not going to hurt you."

James shifted the position of his hips, and the head of Remus's cock breached him. The sight of her husband being penetrated by another man, coupled with the breathy scream he gave, was more than Lily's tormented senses could stand. She moaned as pleasure rippled through her, muscles clenching rhythmically around her fingers. Wave after wave of intense orgasm washed over her as her fingers worked, stroking and fucking herself, eyes fixed on the scene playing out before her: her husband crying out over and over again, pushing back as Remus thrust deeply inside him, Sirius holding him, murmuring encouragement, a hand around each of their pricks, squeezing and stroking.

When James moaned, "Oh, god. I can't -" Sirius dropped back to the bed, taking his cock into his mouth once more. James sobbed as climax tore through him, grinding himself on Remus's cock as he came in Sirius's mouth. Remus groaned and shuddered, hands tightening on James's hips, as his own orgasm took him.

Lily lay boneless and blissful as Remus eased himself out of her husband, who collapsed, gasping, onto the bed. She watched their friends check him over to make sure he was all right, before falling into one another's arms, kissing passionately, sharing the taste of James's spunk between them.

"That was incredible," Lily sighed. "But someone had better get their arse over here and fuck me in a minute."

James raised his head, running a hand through his cloud of sweat-soaked black curls. "She's insatiable. I can't keep up. I got a cramp in my tongue last week. Didn't even know that could happen." He patted Sirius heavily on the shoulder. "Go and see to my wife, will you, Padfoot?"

Sirius's eyes widened, and he glanced up at Remus, who nodded.

Hesitantly, Sirius turned to Lily. "I've never done this before," he warned. "I might be rubbish at it."

"I don't need anything special right now," she assured him. "Just a cock inside me. I'm sure you know what that's like."

He laughed. "Merlin, _yes_."

"I thought so." Lily grinned, pushing him back against the pillows and straddled his hips. Bending, she kissed him softly on the mouth, tasting James on his lips. Strands of tangled dark red hair fell about his face. "You'll do fine."

She took his hands and placed them on the curve of her pregnant belly, cradling his incipient godchild, and lowered herself onto his cock, moaning as he entered her. His eyes were wide, his mouth open, gasping, as she rode him. Her fingers moved between her legs, rubbing her clit, and she came with an exultant cry, bearing down hard on him. Sirius's eyes rolled back as her vaginal muscles clenched tight around him. His hips rose and jerked and he spilled himself inside her, come mingling with her own streaming juices.

Beside them, Remus spooned James against his chest, watching their lovers fuck one another.

"Aren't they beautiful?" Remus murmured, pulling James closer.

"Yes," breathed James. "They're perfect."

Afterwards, they lay quiet, sticky with sweat and come.

"Changed your mind about being gay?" teased Remus, giving Sirius an affectionate nudge.

Sirius laughed. "Probably about as much as Prongs has about being straight."

"It's good that you're willing to explore your options," said Lily. "Find out what you like, what you're comfortable with. That's how I figured out I liked more than just boys or cocks."

"It was good," admitted James. "Really good. But I just don't feel the same way about blokes as I do about my lovely wife."

Sirius nodded. "It was fun, but it's not what I want. I mean, I love Lily - I lllllllllove Llllllllily ..." he broke off, giggling.

"Everyone loves Lily," said James. "What's not to love?"

"We all love each other," Remus sighed. "That's what matters. Tonight was a nice way to show it."

"Very nice," agreed Lily. "I think we all needed it. Maybe we should do it again sometime."

"All in favour?" mumbled Sirius.

"_AYE!_" four laughing voices declared.

* * *

Lily woke in her husband's arms. The four of them had made love again in the night, starting with their regular partners, before Remus touched James's arm midway through, asking, "Want to swap?" James fucked Sirius on his back, Sirius moaning and writhing beneath him, while Remus used his fingers and mouth to bring Lily to another series of earth-shattering climaxes, before finishing inside his own spent and sated lover. Now, their friends slept curled around one another, Remus's face buried in Sirius's neck, Sirius's arms clasped protectively around Remus, their legs tangled together. It made Lily glad, just to see them.

"Look how sweet they are," she murmured, nudging James.

James grinned sleepily. "They've always been like that, since we were kids."

Lily shook her head. "And it took them how many years to figure out they were in love with each other?"

James laughed and kissed her. "Longer than it took me to decide you were The One. Not as long as it took you to decide I might be all right."

She smiled at him tenderly, then looked back at the sleeping lovers. "They're our family now, James. They're all we have left - them and the baby. They have to survive this, and we have to protect them. Whatever it takes."

Her husband's hand slid over the curve of her belly. "We will," he promised. "We'll keep them safe. And each other."


End file.
